Amputees commonly use prosthetic devices to improve their mobility and associated quality of life. Various types of prosthetic devices are available for amputees, including prosthetic limbs such as artificial feet and hands. Such artificial limbs are secured to a wearer to restore the impaired or lost functionality of the amputee's residual limbs. These prosthetic devices serve as replacement limbs so the amputee can maintain a normal quality of life. The ability to achieve full use of a prosthetic limb is an important factor in both the physical and mental rehabilitation of an amputee.
Conventional prosthetic limbs are sometimes enclosed in a cosmesis or cover to improve their aesthetic appeal. The cosmesis for an artificial foot serves as a cosmetic casing that provides the appearance of a natural looking foot for the lower limb amputee. The artificial limb can be provided with an authentic look by incorporating natural skin color and texture to the cosmesis for mimicking that of the amputee. This provides a natural appearance so it is not noticeable that an amputee is wearing a prosthesis.
The cosmesis can protect the prosthesis and any of its components from wear and tear caused by the environment, increasing the life of the prosthesis. Using a cosmesis can prevent dirt and debris from interfering with the mechanical components of the prosthetic limb. Further, the cosmesis may be available as either a part of a prosthesis, or as a separate attachment for a prosthesis.
Using a foot cosmesis can help an amputee achieve a normal appearance when out in public. Typical foot cosmetic covers, however, can disadvantageously be limited in the flexibility and versatility they provide in allowing the amputee to don different conventional footwear, such as sneakers or boots. The repeated frictional contact between the footwear and the cosmesis during donning and doffing can cause wear on the cosmesis damaging it. This not only results in inconvenient frequent replacement of the cosmesis, but it also further adds to the cost for the amputee to constantly fix or replace the damaged cosmesis. There is a substantial need for a cosmesis for an artificial foot capable of providing easy and quick donning and doffing of footwear.
Most common cosmetic covers are form-fitted over an artificial limb, or use adhesive or suction to bond the cover to the limb. Such covers can be costly to provide a desired fit. These covers are generally only made to fit a specific artificial or residual limb. For instance, if the amputee replaces a particular artificial limb, then the cover will also likely need to be replaced with the artificial limb.
Conventional covers may be molded from synthetic material, such as foam rubber. These covers are often bonded to an artificial limb by an adhesive inserted into the hollow space inside the cover. Adhesives have disadvantages. If the artificial limb requires repair or readjustment, the adhesion surface of the cover should be cut open to gain access to the artificial limb. There is a greater possibility of damaging the artificial limb if the cover requires replacement.
Separating an adhesively bonded cover from an artificial limb can be difficult and time consuming. Even when an adhesively bonded cover is successfully removed from an artificial limb, it's difficult to reapply additional adhesive to the cover for reattachment to the limb. This may diminish the cover's cosmetic effect. There is a clear need for a non-permanent way of securing a cosmesis to an artificial limb.
Other cosmetic covers commonly utilize a snap-on or press-fit connection for securing to an artificial limb. Although such a connection may seem easy for a user to snap the cover into place, it provides no way to make donning or doffing a shoe any easier since the cover remains the same size when attached. A snap-on connection provides no way for a user to adjustably tighten or loosen the cover onto the artificial limb as desired.
Form-fitting cosmetic covers are not universally accepted onto all artificial limbs. Properly fitting and securing a prosthetic device to an amputee is often difficult because artificial limbs and residual limbs can be various shapes and sizes—and various size covers may be needed. This lack of versatility prohibits such covers from fitting onto numerous existing prosthetic limbs.
Many conventional covers have a tendency to become loose while being worn throughout the day. Without sufficiently securing a cosmesis to an artificial foot, the frictional contact between the artificial foot and the cosmesis can cause wear on the cosmesis over time, especially at high stress contact points. This can cause the amputee having to frequently replace or repair the damaged cosmesis increasing the cost to the amputee. There is a substantial need for a cosmesis that can easily and quickly be selectively adjusted for proper fitting, such as for allowing a user to tighten the cosmesis as needed.